From Patrick Hardyman

Blanchardville

To the Editor:

In a recent letter to the editor, the writer talks about free will and how “God does not differentiate” from the various ways we sin and because of this it shows “the Creator God to be pro-choice.” That’s quite the presumption! I think this particular writer should take another look in his bible and take a closer examination at the parable about “sheep and goats” (Matthew 25: 31-46) or the parable about the “rich young man” (Matthew 19: 16-30, Mark 10: 17-31, and Luke 18: 18-30). Just because we have free will does not mean that God does not care how we use this gift. He does not want us to remain in sin but to repent and receive his gift of grace that leads to eternal salvation.

There is no such thing as “potential babies” as the letter writer describes in his last sentence. From the moment of conception/fertilization that unborn child is a unique human being at its stage of development. We are all human beings with “potential”. During the Last Supper discourse Jesus said to Thomas, “I am the Way and the Truth, and the Life”(John 14: 6). In talking to Martha before Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, he said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11: 25).

When we die, we will find out immediately exactly how we used our free will and the choices we made in this lifetime. They do have eternal consequences.